Articles of footwear and, in particular, shoes may be made by combining components, such as uppers and bottom units, which may themselves be comprised of subcomponents. For instance, a shoe bottom unit may be comprised of a midsole and an outsole. Various techniques, such as the use of adhesives and/or cements, may be used to join one component, such as a shoe upper, to another component, such as a shoe bottom unit. In order to enhance the connection between the upper and the bottom unit, it has been found to be advantageous to buff or smooth the areas of the upper that are in contact with the bottom unit and to which adhesive is applied. This typically was done by hand, utilizing a powered rotary tool with a buffing head.